Machine for the production of convolutions in wire



K. 2. HUSZAR 2,737,212

MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONVOLUTIONS IN WIRE March 6, 1956 Filed Dec. 28. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. [ALMA/v Z Huszme',

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March 6, 1956 K. 2. HUSZAR 2,737,212

MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONVOLUTIONS IN WIRE Filed Dec 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. {AL/v.4 Z3 Haszme,

ATTO RNEYS- United States Patent MACI-HNE FOR THE PRGDUCTION 0F CONVOLUTIUNS IN WIRE Kalman Z. Huszar, Foster, Ohio Application December 28, 1951, Serial No. 263,915

19 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) My invention resides in the provision of a novel machine for producing convolutions in wire.

My invention has to do with a process and means for imparting a continuous series of serpentine-like convolutions to and endless piece of wire.

It is an object of my invention to provide an efiicient and economical Way of producing the said convolutions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine for producing the said convolutions which is rapid in operation and easy to use.

Further objects and advantages inherent in the novel machine and process for producing convolutions in wire will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specifications and from the accompanying drawings in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the means by which a straight length of wire is transformed into one having a series of serpentine-like convolutions.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the machinery, on the plane of line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a schematic layout showing the necessary relation between the cam surfaces of the convolution forming unit.

Figure 7 is an enlarged front view of one of the cam members of the forming unit.

Figure 8 is a side elevation partly in section of member of Figure 7.

Briefly in the practice of my invention an endless length of wire is continuously forced into a forming unit with suflicient pressure to cause the wire to buckle. The forming unit is comprised of a pair of cam members each being in the nature of a distorted helix. These cam members determine and control the direction of buckle alternately to the left and the right. In this manner a folding effect is produced.

The wire having the convolutions initially imparted to it by the folding action of the helical cam members of the forming unit is then received by a pair of'worms hav ing helical convolutions of the same pitch as the incoming convolutions. Spaced from the receiving worms is another pair of worms also having helical grooves.

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These latter grooves are pitched so as to deliver the wire with the convolutions spaced as required. To this end there is, in effect, a jamming action caused to take place between the set of receiving worms and the set of mechanisms may then be cut into desired lengths and ice these lengths may have some sort of arc imparted to to them longitudinally. Also, at the time the separate lengths are cut it may be that the ends of each length will be formed with some special construction so that the said lengths may be employed in various manners. My invention, however, is directed to the formation of an endless strip of wire having a series of continuous serpentine-like convolutions and it is not concerned with the manner in which the wire is afterwards treated.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 it will be observed that the convolution forming machinery is mounted on a common base plate 10. A pair of side plates 11 and 12 extend upwardly from the base 10 and it is in these side plates that the drive shaft 13 has a suitable bearing. The motor for driving the shaft 13 is not indicated but it will be understood that this may be anyone of a number of conventional types. My invention does not reside in this particular portion of the machinery here described.

A pair of bevel gears 14 and 35 are pinned to the shaft 13 and cooperate respectively with gears 16 and 17 which are pinned to a pair of shafts 18 and 19 respectively. The shafts 18 and 19 are supported at one end in a bracket 20 and at the other end in an upstanding member 21, both of these latter members being fixed to the base 10.

The shaft 13 also carries a gear 22 which meshes with a gear 23 fixed to one end of a shaft 24. This shaft 24 also has hearings in the upstanding members 11 and 12. Adjacent its other end the shaft 24 carries a gear 25 which engages another gear (not shown) fixed to a shaft 26 located immediately below the shaft 24.

A pair of rollers 27 and 28 are mounted on the shafts 24 and 26 respectively. These rollers are grooved so as to receive the strip of wire 29. The wire 29 is driven by these rollers 27 and 28 to a series of wire supporting rolls 3%, 31, 32 and 33. These latter rollers are also supported from the base 10 on a stand 34 as best seen in Figure 2.

The mechanism so far described, that is, that which bears the reference numerals 11 through 34, may be considered generally as constituting the wire feeding unit. This mechanism may be considerably varied and it is to be distinctly understood that I do not intend to be limited by the specific arrangement of apparatus here disclosed and described except insofar as such structure is positively set forth in the subjoined claims.

From the last pair of wire supporting rolls 32 and 33 the wire is forced into the wire forming unit. It is this last mentioned unit which constitutes a very important part of my invention. It is this unit which folds the wire into the basic form and which thereby imparts the basic convolutions to the wire. The forming unit is comprised of a pair of members each having a cam surface corresponding to a distorted helix as will be described. The two helices or screw members are indicated at 35 and Referring particularly to Figures 1, 7 and 8, it will be noted that the helix 36 is fixed at one end to a hub 37. The helix 36 may be thought of as comprised of two working sections, namely, a cam section and a mandrel section 361). it is the cam section 3621 which is secured to the hub 37. The cam section 326:: has a greater pitch than the mandrel section 36b. The mandrel section may be thought of as commencing at 35c and ending at'36d. This mandrel portion constitutes a true helix. The hub 37 is provided with a key way 38 by means of which it may be non-rotatably secured to the shaft 19.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illus -j trated, I have shown the helical members 35 and 36 as i 5 being left'hand and right hand members respectively,

the rotation of the shafts 18 and 19 being as indicated by the arrows in the various figures. As above indicated the wire 29 is forcibly fed into the grip or bite of the members 35 and 36. In order to insure that the wire being acted upon is maintained centrally of these last mentioned members, I have provided a pair of guide means 39 and 46. The members 39 and '49 are supported from stands 41 and 42 respectively, these stands being fixed to the base 18. Each of the members 39 and 49 is grooved as indicated at 43 and 44 respectively. The said grooves are sufficient to just nicely receive the wire 29.

The forming unit may be considered as comprising the pair of helical members 35 and 36, the hubs 37 and the grooved members 39 and 49.

As above indicated, the wire 29 is fed into the grip of the members 35 and 36 with such speed that it is caused to buckle. As shown in Figure 1, when the wire 29 is so fed between the members 35 and 36, the cam surface 35a forces the wire 29 into the groove 44 of the member 49. In other words, as the wire buckles it is guided by the surface 35a. At this point the members are so arranged that the cam surface 36a contacts the wire 29 and forces same towards the other guide member 39 and its groove 43. As the wire is thus folded back by the surface 36a the mandrel section of the member 35 will serve as a support for the wire. This section will be that which corresponds to 36c36d above described.

When the cam section 360 has folded the wire 29 so that it is brought to rest in the groove 43, the cam surface 35a will then contact additional, buckling wire as it is introduced into the grip between the members 35 and 36 and fold same towards the groove 44. During this latter folding operation the wire is supported by the mandrel section 36c36d. By thus continuously controlling the buckling of the wire I am able to produce a convoluted wire as indicated at 29a.

After leaving the forming unit just described the convoluted wire 29a passes into a receiving unit at which a more finely controlled pitch is imparted to the wire. This unit is comprised of a first pair of receiving worms 45 and 46 and a second pair of worms 47 and 48. These worms are also mounted on the shafts 18 and 19 for rotation therewith. The worms 45 and 46 are provided with helical grooves having the same pitch as the incoming convolutions of the wire 29a. The pair of worms 45 and 46 serves primarily as means to aid in the conveying of the wire from the forming unit to the pitch determining or spacing unit comprised of the worms 47 and 48 as will be described.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 it will be noted that the helical grooves of the members 47 and 48 are characterized by narrower flats between the grooves and by a smaller pitch. The worms 47 and 48 are so located with respect to the worms 45 and 46 as to cause a distortion in the wire between the two sets of worms. In this Figure 1, I have shown the grooves of the members 47 and 48 as arranged to force the wire to assume the convoluted form indicated at 2%. In this connection it should be noted that the worms 45 and 46 serve to take up the thrust occasioned by the nature of the action obtained by the worms 47 and 48.

When the convoluted wire 2% leaves the spacing or pitch determining unit 4748 it is free to spring back to some unrestrained condition. The final form of the wire 29 is thus indicated at 290. It is to the continuous production of a strip of wire of this type that my invention is directed. The final nature of the wire 290 will be determined in part by the initial convolutions imparted to it at the forming unit and in part to the arrangement of the pitch determining worms 47 and 48.

When the wire leaves the forming unit and is received by the worms 45 and 46 it .is still necessary to support the wire so as to keep it centrally of the various .sets of Worms. To this end I provide a pair of stands 49 and 50. I shall describe the stand 50, see also Figure 5, and it will be understood that the stand 49 is similar thereto. The stand 54 is cut-away as at 51 so as to permit the shafts l8 and 19 to extend thsrethrough to the stand 21 as above described. A strap 52 bridges the cutaway portion. An upper guide block 53 is fixed to the strap 52 and a lower guide block 54 is fixed in the cutaway portion to the stand 5%. The blocks 53 and 54 are so positioned as to just nicely receive the convoluted wire. The worms 45 through 43 are located between the stands and 59 and in this way I provide the necessary support for the convoluted wire.

In the operation of the mechanism of my invention the wire 29 is fed from the Wire feeding unit (ll through 34) into the forming unit (35 through 44) at constant speed with sufficient pressure to cause the wire to buckle. The camming action of the first coils (35a and 36a) of the helices 35 and 36 determines the direction of buckle alternately to left and right. A folding effect is thus produced because the cam sections 35:; and 3-6:: have a greater pitch than the mandrel sections 35b and 36b. in the forming unit the wire is supported in the grooves 43 and 44 of the members 39 and 4% about which the helices 35 and 36 are disposed. The said helices are rotated by the shafts 18 and 19 through hubs 3'7 secured to said shafts and bearingsaid helices.

The helices 35 and 36 continuously fold the wire into the basic form by controlling and determining the direction of buckle alternately to left and right as above indicated.

As the wire leaves the forming unit it passes into a finishing section comprised of receiving worms and of spacing or pitch determining worms, the said finishing section being comprised generally of the elements 45 through 49.

'The receiving worms 45 and 46 convey the basic convolutions 29a from the forming unit to the spacing or pitch determining unit, this latter unit being comprised of the worms '47 and 48. The worms 45 and 46 have the same pitch as the incoming convolutions.

The worms of the spacing unit are pitched so as to deliver thewire with the convolutions spaced as required. As shown this may result in back pressure which pressure is taken up by the worms 45 and 46 rather than directly by the helices 35 and 36. The worms 47 and 48 are so grooved as to impart a desired degree of convolution to the wire such that when the wire is free of the finishing section it will spring back only to a controlled, predetermined extent. In this final form the wire is indicated at 290.

During its course of travel through'the finishing section the wire is supported in the manner illustrated and described in connection with Figure 5.

Although I have specifically disclosed my machine as so arranged that the helices 35 and 36 are rotated in the direction of the arrows of the various figures, it is to be understood that this direction may be reversed if accompanied with corresponding changes in the arrangement of the cam and mandrel sections of the forming unit members. I have shown, however, what I consider to be the preferred arrangement with regard to the direction of rotation for the helical members 35 and 36, the cam and mandrel surfaces thereof, of course, being shown as is necessitated for such action.

Thus, my machine for producing serpentine-like bends in wire may be described as comprising a cooperating pair of rotary bending elements 35 and 36, means 11 through 34'for feeding a wire between said bending elements 35 and 36 at a constant speed, and means 39 and 40 having grooves 43 and 44 for supporting said wire in the plane containing the axes of said bending elements. In thismachine the'bending elements 35 and 36 may comprise screw members of mutually opposite hand, each of said screwmembers comprising a portion 35b and 3611 respectively =having a constant pitch and constant tooth height and an initial portion 35a and 36a respectively of a larger pitch and having tooth height increasing from a minimum to a height merging with that of the firstmentioned portion 35b or 3612 as the case may be. In addition, means comprising a motor-driven shaft 13, bevel gears 14 through 17 and shafts 18 and 19 are provided for rotating the screw members 35 and 36 in opposite directions at such a speed that the lead of the portion of constant pitch is less than the speed of the wire. Also, the screw members 35 and 36 may comprise coils and the supporting means may comprise a guide member 39 or 40 as the case may be and fixed within each coil, each of the guide members having a straight groove 43 or 44 respectively to receive the tips of the bends formed in the wire.

As above indicated the important feature of my inven tion lies in the formation and operation of the helical members 35 and 36. It is important that the wire 29 be fed at constant speed into the bite of these members sufiiciently fast to cause said wire to buckle. The particular means for so feeding the wire may vary considerably and do not constitute a limitation of my invention. Other Ways of supporting the wire during the various operations may be utilized although I have shown those which I have found to be of particular effectiveness and which I believe to be novel with me. Similarly, it may be possible to impart the final pitch to the convolutions by other means but again I have shown those which I believe to be well suited for this work and novel with me. It will be understood, therefore, that although I have shown my invention as embodied in certain detail and structure I do not intend to be limited by the particular structure set forth except insofar as same is specifically included in the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and what I desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for producing serpentine-like bends in wire, comprising a cooperating pair of rotary bending elements and means for feeding a wire between said bending elements at a constant speed, and means for supporting said wire in the plane containing the axes of said bending elements, said bending elements comprising screw members, each of said screw members comprising a portion having a constant pitch and constant tooth height and an initial portion of a larger pitch and having a tooth height increasing from a minimum to a height merging with that of said first mentioned portion, and means for rotating said screw members at such a speed that the lead of said portion of constant pitch is less than the speed of said wire.

2. A machine for producing serpentine-like bends in wire, comprising a cooperating pair of rotary bending elements and means for feeding a wire between said bending elements at a constant speed, and means for supporting said wire in the plane containing the axes of said bending elements, said bending elements comprising screw members of mutually opposite hand, each of said screw members comprising a portion having a constant pitch and constant tooth height and an initial portion of a larger pitch and having a tooth height increasing from a minimum to a height merging with that of said first mentioned portion, and means for rotating said screw members in opposite directions at such a speed that the lead of said portion of constant pitch is less than the speed of said wire.

3. The machine of claim 2 in which each of said screw members comprises a coil, and in which said supporting means comprises a guide member fixed in said machine within each said coil, each of said guide members having a straight groove to receive the tips of the bends formed in said wire.

4. The machine of claim 2 including a pair of worms having helical grooves therein of a smaller pitch than that of the serpentine bends imparted to said wire by 6 said screw members, said pair of worms being spaced axially of said screw members, said grooves receiving said bends after said wire leaves said screw members, means to rotate said worms, and additional means to support said wire as it passes through said pair of worms.

5. The machine of claim 4 including a second pair of worms having helical grooves therein, said second pair of worms being positioned between said pair of screw members and said first mentioned pair of worms and out of contact with said first mentioned pair of worms, the grooves of said second worms having a pitch substantially equal to that of the said serpentine bends, said second pair of Worms also being rotated.

6. The machine of claim 5 in which said screw members and both of said pairs of worms are mounted on a pair of common shafts, and means to rotate said shafts.

7. The machine of claim 6 in which each of said screw members comprises a coil, means for fixing each said coil to a said shaft, and in which said first mentioned wire-supporting means comprises a pair of guide members fixed in said machine, each said guide member comprising a sleeve surrounding a said shaft and located within a said coil, each said sleeve having a straight groove to receive the ends of the bends formed in said wire.

8. A machine for producing convolutions in wire which comprises means to feed a substantially straight strip of wire at a substantially constant speed, a forming unit opposing the wire as fed to a degree sufficient to cause said wire to buckle, said forming unit including folding means to control said buckling by causing said wire to be folded first in one direction and then in an opposite direction inthe same plane, said folding means comprising a pair of rotatable, axially fixed, interleaved, screw members, means to support said wire substantially centrally of said screw members, and means to rotate said screw members.

9. The machine of claim 8 in which that portion of each screw member nearest the point of introduction of said wire into said forming unit has a greater pitch than the remaining portion, said remaining portion having a substantially constant pitch and diameter, the first mentioned portion of each screw member starting from a minimum and extending rearwardly and outwardly until joining with said constant diameter portion.

10. The machine of claim 9 including a pair of worms having helical grooves therein of a smaller pitch than that of the convolutions imparted to said Wire by said screw members, said pair of worms being spaced axially of said screw members, said worms and grooves receiving said wire after it leaves said forming unit, and additional supporting means for said convoluted wire and located adjacent said worms, said additional supporting means comprising a pair of blocks supported in said machine and defining a slot of such size to just nicely receive the said convoluted wire.

11. The machine of claim 10 including a second pair of worms located between said forming unit and said first mentioned worms and free of said first mentioned worms and having helical grooves therein of a pitch substantially the same as that of the convolutions imparted to said wire by said screw members.

12. The machine of claim 11 in which said supporting means includes a sleeve located within the convolutions of each of said screw members, said sleeves each having a groove adapted to receive the convoluted wire as formed.

13. The machine of claim 8 in which said supporting means comprises a sleeve within the confines of each of said screw members, said sleeves being fixed in said machine against rotation and each having a groove adapted to receive the outermost convolutions of the wire so formed.

14. A machine for producing convoluted wire comprising a pair of rotatable forming members, means tor rotate said members, means to feed a straight piece of wire between said members substantially centrally thereof, each said member having an operating surface corresponding to a distorted helix, each said operating surface having a cam surface of a certain pitch and a mandrel surface corresponding to a true helix of a smaller pitch than said certain pitch, said forming members being located side by side and said helical surfaces overlapping one another, and means to support said wire substantially centrally of said forming members, said wire feeding means operating to feed said wire between said forming members at a speed sufficient to cause buckling.

15. The machine of claim 14 in which each said forming member surrounds a sleeve fixed in said machine, each said sleeve having a groove in its periphery running longitudinally thereof parallel to the line of travel of said wire through the machine, said grooved sleeves comprising the said means to support said wire.

16. The machine of claim 14 including finishing means for said wire after it leaves said forming members, said finishing means comprising a pair of worms having helical grooves to receive the basic convolutions imparted to said wire by said forming members, said pair of Worms being axially spaced from said forming members, said Worms being rotated and the pitch of said helical grooves being such as to impart whatever degree of additional bend to the convolutions in the wire as is necessary to obtain a wire having the desired convolutions when same leaves the machine, and additional means to support said wire as it passes between said worms, said additional support means comprising a stand fixed in said machine, the upper part of said stand being cut-away, a strap bridging said cut-away portion, a guide block fixed to the bottom of said cut-away portion, and a guide block fixed to said strap adjacent said first mentioned guide block, said wire passing between said guide blocks.

17. The machine of claim 16 including receiving means located between said forming members and said finishing means and out of contact with said finishing means, said receiving means comprising a pair of worms having helical grooves corresponding substantially to the pitch of the convolutions imparted to said wire by said forming members.

18. A machine for producing convolutions in wire comprising a pair of forming members, each of said members having an operating surface corresponding to a distorted helix, a first part of said surface comprising a cam surface of a certain pitch, a second part of said surface comprising a mandrel surface corresponding to a true helix of smaller pitch than said certain pitch, means to rotate said forming members, said members being located side by side, the said operating surface of one member meshing with the said operating surface of the other member, means to feed a strip of wire into said members sufliciently fast to cause buckling, and means to support said wire centrally of said forming members, whereby the cam surface of one forming member engages said wire and folds it in one direction against the mandrel surface of the other forming member after which the other of said cam surfaces engages said wire and folds it in an opposite direction against the other of said mandrel surfaces.

19. A machine for producing convoluted Wire comprising a pair of shafts, means to rotate said shafts, a forming unit comprising a forming member fixed to each shaft,

leans to feed a strip of wire into said forming unit, and means to support said wire centrally of said forming unit, each said forming member having a convoluted operating surface the first part of which has a greater pitch than the second part, said convoluted operating surfaces meshing with each other to an extent equal to the desired width of the convoluted wire being formed, said wire as fed first contacting the larger pitched portion of said convoluted operating surfaces, the relation between the speed of rotation of said forming members and the speed of said wire feeding means being such as to cause buckling when said wire contacts said forming unit, said convoluted operating surfaces controlling said buckling so as to produce convolutions in said wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10,549 Montgomery Feb. 21, 1854 337,509 Laskey Mar. 9, 1886 1,018,399 Livingston Feb. 20, 1912 1,205,005 Mayo Nov. 14, 1916 1,219,845 Nelson Mar. 20, 1917 1,246,145 Nelson Nov. 13, 1917 1,339,104 Cooke May 4, 1920 1,417,324 Holmes May 23, 1922 2,097,193 Jacobs Oct. 26, 1937 2,169,420 Jacobs Aug. 15, 1939 2,378,058 Blumensaadt June 12, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 317,753 Germany Dec. 29, 1919 105,894 Australia Mar. 23. 1939 

